Miniature electrical socket contact
Through the integrated processing, the micro electrical socket contacts formed in the prior art solve the manufacturing complexity and controllability problems, and realize a reliable connection with high current density and low plug-in insertion force, which is suitable for applications with high current density and safety requirements.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202380079889.4
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-11-25
- Filing Date
- 2023-11-06
- Publication Date
- 2025-07-04
AI Technical Summary
The prior art In the manufacture of micro socket contacts, especially micro contacts with diameters in the range of 0.1 to 2 mm, there are complex and difficult to control forming operations, resulting in a large safety margin required in applications with high current density and safety requirements.
The micro electrical socket contacts formed by a single piece of conductive material are formed by milling or drilling to form socket contacts, including plug-in ends, edges and cantilever-shaped contact beams, avoiding complex plastic deformation processes and ensuring simplified manufacturing and precise contact force control.
Reliable plug-in connections in high current density applications are achieved, which reduces plug-in insertion forces, improves controllability and accuracy of the manufacturing process, and ensures stability under high-density currents and strict safety specifications.
Smart Images
Figure CN120266348A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a micro electrical socket contact for mating with complementary pin contacts, the socket contact being machined from a solid electrical conductor. The present invention particularly relates to micro electrical contacts, where the diameter of the pin receiving cavity of the socket contact is less than 2 mm down to about 0.1 mm. Background Art
[0002] It is known to provide micro socket contacts machined from solid metal bodies for high current density applications. In high current density applications, or in applications where reliability and safety are important requirements, contacts machined from solid materials formed as integral contacts are more desirable than contacts including stamped and formed parts assembled to a contact body. This is because, compared to an assembled terminal having a stamped and formed contact part, a contact machined from a solid material has a lower resistance to current between the contact part and the wiring part of the contact. Figure 1a And 1b Shows a conventional socket contact machined from a solid of an electrically conductive material (such as a copper-based alloy), removably coupled to a pin contact. The socket contact 8' extends between a wire end 10' and a mating end 14'. The mating end 14' includes a contact beam 16', and has a contact part 30' at the free end of the beam near the inlet portion 22' of the socket contact. The socket contact 8' has a contact insertion cavity 18' for removably receiving therein the pin contact 6. To machine the socket contact 8', first a hole is drilled in the contact cavity with a milling or drilling tool, and then a slot 20' is cut, which has a transverse portion 36' and an axial portion 34', to form the beam 16'. The transverse portion 36' is cut near the inlet face 24' of the socket contact 16', and the beam is anchored at an axial position away from the inlet face 24'. Since the diameter of the hole needs to be slightly larger than the diameter D3 of the pin contact inserted therein, a forming operation is required to plastically deform the end of the contact beam 16' inwardly so that it projects inwardly into the pin receiving cavity.
[0003] However, the forming operation requires relatively complex manufacturing operations, especially for micro contacts with pin contact diameters in the range of 0.1 to 2 mm and an outer socket body diameter typically less than 3 to 4 mm. The complex operations include registering the position of the socket contact after the cutting operation in a forming machine and applying an exact amount of plastic deformation, which is difficult to control as it is sensitive to changes in material properties and manufacturing tolerances. The variability of the elastic properties of the contact beam after the forming process means that a greater safety margin is required in applications with high density current and strict safety codes. Summary of the Invention
[0004] In view of the above circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a micro electrical socket contact capable of supporting high current density in a reliable manner.
[0005] It is advantageous to provide an economically produced micro electrical socket contact.
[0006] It is advantageous to provide a robust micro electrical socket contact.
[0007] It is advantageous to provide a micro socket contact that produces a low insertion force upon contact with a complementary male contact.
[0008] The object of the present invention is achieved by providing a system according to claim 1. The dependent claims set forth various advantageous features of embodiments of the present invention.
[0009] Disclosed herein is a micro electrical socket contact integrally formed from a single piece of conductive material configured for plug-in connection with a complementary pin contact having a diameter of less than 2 mm in a linear axial plugging direction. The socket contact includes a plugging end, an edge, and a contact beam. The plugging end includes a contact insertion cavity. The edge is located at the inlet end of the socket contact and extends completely around the contact insertion cavity. The contact beam is formed from the plugging end by a slot having an axial portion and a transverse portion, such that the contact beam is cantilevered. The contact beam is attached to the edge near the inlet face of the socket contact and extends to a free end formed by the transverse portion of the slot remote from the edge.
[0010] In an advantageous embodiment, the contact insertion cavity is milled or drilled and includes an inlet portion having a diameter D1 and a contact portion having a diameter D2 that is less than the diameter D1 of the inlet portion. The inlet portion is connected to the contact portion by a tapered or beveled portion, whereby the intersection between the beveled portion and the contact portion forms the contact point between the contact beam and the complementary pin contact.
[0011] In an advantageous embodiment, the slot is produced by a subtractive manufacturing technique.
[0012] In an advantageous embodiment, the slot is machined with a cutting tool.
[0013] In an advantageous embodiment, the axial length L2 of the contact beam from the edge to the contact point is in the range of 1.5 to 4 times the diameter D2 of the contact portion.
[0014] In an advantageous embodiment, the edge has an axial length L1, the axial direction being the axis direction of the contact insertion cavity, which is in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 times the diameter D2 of the contact portion.
[0015] In an advantageous embodiment, the total length L3 of the contact insertion cavity is greater than the sum of the lengths of the lateral portion of the slot, the contact beam, and the edge, such that the contact insertion cavity extends into the central body portion of the socket contact.
[0016] In one embodiment, the maximum outer diameter D4 of the socket contact is less than 4 mm.
[0017] In one embodiment, the maximum outer diameter D4 of the socket contact is less than 3 mm.
[0018] In one embodiment, the diameter D2 of the contact portion is less than 1.5 mm.
[0019] In one embodiment, the diameter D2 of the contact portion is less than 1 mm.
[0020] Also disclosed herein is an electrical socket contact combined with an electrical pin contact, the pin contact having a contact portion with a diameter D3 that is greater than the diameter D2 of the contact portion and less than the diameter D1 of the entrance portion.
[0021] In an advantageous embodiment, the contact cavity length L3 is more than 2 times, preferably more than 3 times, the beam length to the contact point L2.
[0022] Also disclosed herein is an electrical connector that includes an insulating housing having a contact receiving cavity as described herein, and a plurality of electrical socket contacts according to any one of the preceding claims, the plurality of electrical socket contacts being located within the contact receiving cavity.
[0023] In one embodiment, when viewed in a cross-section perpendicular to the insertion direction, the contact density of the plurality of socket contacts is greater than 8 contacts per square centimeter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] Other objects and advantageous features of the present invention will be apparent from the claims, the detailed description, and the drawings, in which:
[0025] Figure 1a is a perspective view of a prior art micro socket contact formed from a single piece of conductive material that is pluggably coupled to a pin contact;
[0026] Figure 1b is Figure 1a a partial side cross-sectional view of the prior art contact device of
[0027] Figure 2a is a perspective view of a micro socket contact according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0028] Figure 2b is Figure 2a a partial side cross-sectional view of the socket contact of
[0029] Figure 2c is Figure 2b a detailed portion of a contact portion of a socket contact;
[0030] Figure 3a is a perspective view of an electrical connector device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the electrical connector device including a male connector and a female connector that are pluggably connected, and the female connector including electrical socket contacts;
[0031] Figure 3b shows Figure 3a a cross-sectional side view of the connector device of;
[0032] Figures 4a to 4c shows a male pin contact being inserted into a socket contact according to an embodiment of the present invention, with the contact portion shown in cross-section;
[0033] Figure 4d shows a perspective view of a pin contact that mates with a socket contact according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0034] Referring to Figures 2a to 4d , embodiments of socket contacts according to embodiments of the present invention will now be described.
[0035] First, referring to Figure 3a and 3b , the electrical connector device includes a female connector 1 and a male connector 2 that are pluggably connected together. The female connector 1 includes a housing 3 and a plurality of electrical socket contacts 8 mounted in a contact receiving cavity 4 in the housing 3. The diameter or size of the connector device will depend on the number of contacts as well as voltage and current requirements, and thus in many applications, it is generally desirable to have a connector that is compact and does not degrade the required reliability or performance requirements. For example, in medical applications or various other sensing and information transmission applications, such as in aviation applications, there may be requirements for high density but high reliability and safety. The outer diameter of the micro contacts of the present invention is generally less than 3 mm, typically less than 2 mm, for example in the outer diameter range of 0.5 to 2.5 mm. The current resistance of the micro contacts of the present invention is generally less than 0.005 ohms, which allows for a higher current density to be carried compared to conventional contacts of the same size that have assembled, stamped, and formed contact portions.
[0036] A connector including a plurality of micro contacts according to an embodiment of the present invention can, for example, have a contact density of greater than 3 contacts per square centimeter (when viewed from a cross-section orthogonal to the plugging direction), for example between 8 and 16 contacts per square centimeter.
[0037] In applications that require a large number of contacts, such as more than 8 contacts, the mating insertion force of the male and female connectors is also an important consideration, where the mating insertion force of a single mating pin and socket contact is an important factor in the overall insertion force. As will be described in more detail below, for equivalent performance, i.e., the rated current that can flow through contacts of equivalent size, the insertion force of the pin contact into the socket contact according to embodiments of the present invention is lower than Figure 1a and 1b the prior art shown.
[0038] The electrical socket contact 8 includes a termination end 10 for connection to an external conductor, which in this example is configured to connect to a wire. However, the termination end 10 can be configured to connect to a circuit board or can have a mating type connection, such as a socket contact portion or a pin contact portion, for further connection to a complementary electrical terminal. The electrical socket contact 8 extends from the termination end 10 to a mating end 14, which is configured to mate with a complementary pin contact 6. For socket contacts where the total length is much greater than the total diameter of the socket contact, the length of the central body portion 12 can be adjusted according to the total desired length of the socket contact.
[0039] The socket contact is formed from a single integral conductive material, preferably formed from a metal, such as a copper-based alloy or other materials well known per se for machining single-piece contacts. The contact is typically manufactured from a bar by removing material in turning, milling, and cutting operations, which are themselves well known in the art. Various features can be machined in the body of the material to locate and secure the socket contact in an insulating material, particularly formed in a cavity of an insulating housing of an electrical connector. The maximum total diameter of the socket contact 8 is shown as diameter D4, where for micro contacts within the scope of the present invention, D4 is less than 4 mm, typically less than 3.5 mm, and can be in the range of 0.5 to 3 mm, for example in the range of 0.8 to 2 mm.
[0040] The diameter D3 of the contact portion of the mating pin contact 6 is typically in the range of 30% to 60% of the total maximum diameter D4 of the socket contact. The mating end portion of the socket includes a contact beam 16, which is attached to the edge 26 at the entrance end of the contact and extends rearwardly towards the central body portion 12. The contact insertion cavity 18 for receiving the electrical pin contact 6 extends into the mating end 14 over a contact cavity length L3.
[0041] The contact insertion cavity includes an entrance portion 22, the diameter D1 of which is slightly larger than the diameter D3 of the pin contact configured to be inserted into the socket contact. The contact insertion cavity also includes a contact portion 30, the diameter D2 of which is less than the entrance portion diameter D1 and slightly less than the diameter D3 of the pin contact. A tapered or beveled portion 28 interconnects the entrance portion 22 and the contact portion 30.
[0042] The contact beam 16 is formed from the contact body by the slot 20 which has an axial portion 34 and a transverse portion 36. The axial portion 34 extends parallel or substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis A which corresponds to the insertion direction of the pin contact in the socket contact. The transverse portion 36 extends transversely through the tubular wall of the insertion end until it meets the transverse portion to form the cantilever contact beam 16.
[0043] The edge 26 is provided with a certain length L1 which is sufficient to keep the structure of the edge intact to support the elastic force applied to the cantilever contact beam 16 during the insertion of the pin contact.
[0044] The position of the bevel or taper 28 can be configured to define a length L2 starting from the end of the longitudinal slot where contact with the pin should occur. This defines the effective length of the cantilever beam which is subject to bending stress during pin insertion. The remaining length of the cantilever beam can serve a protective or covering function to cover the contact insertion cavity 18 which may be useful during the handling and manufacturing of the contacts to avoid contact interlocking or jamming against other objects.
[0045] The end 32 of the contact insertion cavity 18 extends into the material of the central body portion 12 beyond the transverse portion 36 of the slot 20 for receiving the tip of the pin contact. The end 32 can serve as protection against excessive bending forces applied to the mating contact and may also center the pin contact relative to the contact insertion cavity.
[0046] Advantageously, Figure 1a and 1b compared to the micro-machined prior art contacts shown, the micro contacts according to embodiments of the present invention can be produced without any deformation or bending operations on the elastic contact arm 16, thus not only simplifying the manufacturing process but also allowing for a more precise and repeatable contact force during the insertion of the pin contact into the socket contact. This is because the machining of the contact insertion cavity 18 by drilling, milling or boring operations can be carried out with very high precision and does not rely on the plastic deformation of the contact beam. Additionally, by simply changing the diameter D2 and / or the length L2 of the contact cavity portion of the inlet portion 22, thus moving the position of the bevel 28 which determines the contact point, the contact force can be easily varied according to the application and requirements.
[0047] Due to the more precise tolerances of the contact point position and the elastic beam strength of the contact beam, the insertion force during plugging can be more easily and precisely adjusted. In Figure 1a and 1b the prior art configurations shown, when the contact beam pivots, there is a small displacement component in the direction opposite to the pin insertion direction, while in the present invention configuration, as the contact beam rotates, the axial displacement component is either substantially zero or slightly zero in the insertion direction.
[0048] Therefore, the insertion force is within a narrower range of variation than in the prior art solution, while ensuring a clearly defined contact force and thus a defined current-carrying capacity.
[0049] List of reference numerals used
[0050] Male electrical connector 1
[0051] Electrical pin contact 6
[0052] Female electrical connector 2
[0053] Housing 3
[0054] Contact receiving cavity 4
[0055] Electrical socket contact 8
[0056] Wiring end 10
[0057] Central body part 12
[0058] Insertion end 14
[0059] Contact beam 16
[0060] Edge 26
[0061] Contact insertion cavity 18
[0062] Entrance part 22
[0063] Entrance face 24
[0064] Bevel 28
[0065] Contact part 30
[0066] Free end part 32
[0067] Slot 20
[0068] Axial part 34
[0069] Transverse part 36
[0070] Diameter D1 of the contact cavity entrance part
[0071] Diameter D2 of the contact part of the contact cavity
[0072] Diameter D3 of the pin contact
[0073] Diameter D4 of the socket contact body
[0074] Length L1 of the slot entrance section
[0075] Length L2 from the beam to the contact point
[0076] Length L3 of the contact cavity
[0077] Electrical socket contact 8' (prior art)
[0078] Wiring end portion 10
[0079] Central body portion 12
[0080] Insertion end portion 14’
[0081] Contact beam 16′
[0082] Contact insertion cavity 18′
[0083] Entrance portion 22′
[0084] Entrance surface 24′
[0085] Edge 26′
[0086] Contact portion 30′
[0087] Slot 20′
[0088] Axial portion 34′
[0089] Transverse portion 36′
Claims
1. A micro electrical socket contact (8), said micro electrical socket contact (8) being integrally formed from a single piece of conductive material and being configured for plug-in connection with a complementary pin contact having a diameter less than 2 mm in a linear axial plugging direction, said socket contact comprising a plugging end (14), an edge (26) and a contact beam (16), said plugging end (14) comprising a contact insertion cavity (18), said edge (26) being located at the inlet end of said socket contact and extending completely around said contact insertion cavity, said contact beam (16) being formed from said plugging end (14) by a slot (20) having an axial portion (34) and a transverse portion (36), such that said contact beam (16) is cantilevered, characterized in that, The contact beam (16) is attached to an edge (26) at an entrance face close to the socket contact and extends to a free end formed by a transverse portion (36) of a slot (20) remote from the edge.
2. The socket contact according to the preceding claim, characterized in that, The contact insertion cavity (18) is milled or drilled and includes an entrance portion (22) with a diameter D1 and a contact portion (30) with a diameter D2 that is less than the diameter D1 of the entrance portion. The entrance portion is connected to the contact portion by a tapered or beveled portion (28), whereby an intersection between the beveled portion and the contact portion forms a contact point between the contact beam and a complementary pin contact (6).
3. The socket contact according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The slot is produced by a subtractive manufacturing technique.
4. The socket contact according to the preceding claim, characterized in that, The slot (20) is machined with a cutting tool.
5. The socket contact according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The axial length L2 of the contact beam (16) from the edge (26) to the contact point is in the range of 1.5 to 4 times the diameter D2 of the contact portion.
6. The socket contact according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The edge has an axial length L1, the axial direction being the axis direction of the contact insertion cavity, which is in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 times the diameter D2 of the contact portion.
7. The socket contact according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The total length L3 of the contact insertion cavity (18) is greater than the sum of the lengths of the transverse portion of the slot, the contact beam, and the edge, such that the contact insertion cavity extends into a central body portion of the socket contact.
8. The socket contact according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The maximum outer diameter D4 of the socket contact is less than 4 mm.
9. The socket contact according to the preceding claim, characterized in that, The maximum outer diameter D4 of the socket contact is less than 3 mm.
10. The socket contact according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The diameter D2 of the contact portion is less than 1.5 mm.
11. The socket contact according to the preceding claim, characterized in that, The diameter D2 of the contact portion is less than 1 mm.
12. The electrical socket contact (8) according to any one of the preceding claims, the electrical socket contact (8) being combined with an electrical pin contact (6), the pin contact having a contact portion with a diameter D3 that is greater than the diameter D2 of the contact portion and less than the diameter D1 of the entrance portion.
13. The socket contact according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The contact cavity length L3 is more than twice the beam length to the contact point L2, preferably more than three times.
14. An electrical connector (2), the electrical connector (2) including an insulating housing (3) having a contact receiving cavity (4) therein, and a plurality of electrical socket contacts according to any one of the preceding claims within the contact receiving cavity.
15. The electrical connector according to the preceding claims, characterized in that, When viewed in a cross-section perpendicular to the plugging direction, the contact density of the plurality of socket contacts is greater than 8 contacts per square centimeter.